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Top 25 since Jan. 1 ...

  • For all those 'sky is falling', 'end of the world' fans who several weeks ago were fearing that UK wouldn't even make the Big Dance this year ... I may have reason for a bit of hope. I decided to rank the top 25 teams (and include UK) by winning percentage since the first of the year. I understand that there are still some differences in strength of schedule, but the conference season is normally the time of year that the contenders begin making their push towards the tourney.

    Ranked by winning percentage since Jan. 1 (last week's AP rank in parantheses):

    1. Miami (8) 11-0 1.000
    2. Florida (2) 10-1 .909
    3. Gonzaga (6) 10-1 .909
    4. Michigan State (12) 9-1 .900
    5. Butler (14) 10-2 .833
    6. Kentucky (nr) 9-2 .818
    7. Duke (4) 8-2 .800
    8. Arizona (7) 8-2 .800
    9. Kansas State (13) 8-2 .800
    10. Marquette (24) 8-2 .800
    11. Indiana (1) 7-2 .778
    12. Syracuse (9) 7-2 .778
    13. New Mexico (15) 7-2 .778
    14. Michigan (2) 8-3 .727
    15. Kansas (5) 8-3 .727
    16. Oregon (19) 8-3 .727
    17. Pittsburgh (23) 8-3 .727
    18. Ohio State (10) 7-3 .700
    19. Georgetown (20) 7-3 .700
    20. Oklahoma State (22) 7-3 .700
    21. Creighton (16) 8-4 .667
    22. Louisville (11) 7-4 .636
    23. Missouri (21) 7-4 .636
    24. Notre Dame (25) 7-4 .636
    25. Cincinnati (17) 5-5 .500
    26. Minnesota (18) 4-5 .444

    As you can see, there are only 5 top-25 teams with better records than UK since the beginning of the year. This team is improving and is showing it on the court. This season is in no way 'over'. College basketball this year I think is going to be more 'wide open' than usual come tournament time and UK could make a late run as well as anyone.

    WildcatKNH :: my NCAA Resource Center > www.knhayes.com/NCAA

    wildcatknh

  • Great post.

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    Nate87

  • Good post and I do assume you meant that I was one of the doom and gloom guys predicting UK may not even make the tourney and although I was worried for a while The Cats have shown good improvement and beaten the teams they should have beaten plus Ole Miss. I like the list you posted and you deserve a +1 for it. The strength of sched does make a huge difference but winning games against anyone can show improvement. Uk will be in the tourney but a win at Fla on Tuesday would sure help a lot. GO CATS

    This post was edited by sleepydog on 2/10/2013 at 8:08 PM

    sleepydog

  • There are, however, alot of other teams outside the Top 25 making serious pushes since the 1st of the year:

    Memphis - 11-0
    St Mary's - 10-1
    VCU - 9-2
    St Louis - 8-2
    Murray St - 9-2
    Belmont - 11-1
    Akron - 11-0
    MTSU - 11-1
    Montana - 12-0

    Several of these teams have been in the Top 25 since UK has.. I know the polls tend to favor the bigger BCS conference schools, but, as we've seen alot of these past few years, alot of these mid majors are capable of making a long run..

    bluecatntn

  • bluecatntn said...

    There are, however, alot of other teams outside the Top 25 making serious pushes since the 1st of the year:

    Memphis - 11-0 St Mary's - 10-1 VCU - 9-2 St Louis - 8-2 Murray St - 9-2 Belmont - 11-1 Akron - 11-0 MTSU - 11-1 Montana - 12-0

    Several of these teams have been in the Top 25 since UK has.. I know the polls tend to favor the bigger BCS conference schools, but, as we've seen alot of these past few years, alot of these mid majors are capable of making a long run..

    I think St. Marys' may surprise a lot of people in the tourney like Butler and VCU did in the past. There are some legit teams in your list and I think you could be right as far as the possibility of them going past the 1st weekend.

    sleepydog

  • It is who you have played and who have beaten. UK has played very shallow comp. I mean Auburn is horid and we won by 10 at home.

    Dont get me wrong I think UK is getting better. However I do not think UK should be in the top 20. NOT YET.

    We will know what UK really is after tues night.

    dvillepro1

  • dvillepro1 said...

    It is who you have played and who have beaten. UK has played very shallow comp. I mean Auburn is horid and we won by 10 at home.

    Dont get me wrong I think UK is getting better. However I do not think UK should be in the top 20. NOT YET.

    We will know what UK really is after tues night.

    Yet Auburn barely lost to an Illini team that beat IU. I don't buy your point.

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    Nate87

  • Uk is a legit top 25 team. The real question is do they become elite fast enough to make a serious run in march.

    Quagmire14

  • If you look mat the teams in the 15-25 range (along with those others receiving votes) there is no doubt that UK should be in the 15-20 range.

    This was a consensus top 5 team to start the year based on the potential of its talented players. The Duke loss did not (and should not) impact the perception of this team. The thing that dramatically changed the perception of this team was one bad week of basketball in back-to-back losses against ND and at home against Baylor (the fact that Baylor has fallen apart recently doesn't help that perception).

    Since that time, UK has a loss to a very good UL team (boy, it was hard to say that) and only two losses in conference play. If not for those back-to-back losses, UK would likely be in the top 15 and be a top 4 seed by Lunardi. But those losses caused UK to drop like a rock and despite playing much more consistent ball (even if not dominating in the way we would like). The perception of this UK team took a dramatic hit in those two games and despite the improvement in the team, there are few opportunities in SEC play to change that perception.

    ukcat15

  • bluecatntn said...

    There are, however, alot of other teams outside the Top 25 making serious pushes since the 1st of the year:

    Memphis - 11-0 St Mary's - 10-1 VCU - 9-2 St Louis - 8-2 Murray St - 9-2 Belmont - 11-1 Akron - 11-0 MTSU - 11-1 Montana - 12-0

    Several of these teams have been in the Top 25 since UK has.. I know the polls tend to favor the bigger BCS conference schools, but, as we've seen alot of these past few years, alot of these mid majors are capable of making a long run..

    Absolutely agree. I wasn't implying that the top 25 were the only teams with good records since the beginning of 2013 ... I was just trying to get across the fact that UK's been as good as anyone out there over the last 5 weeks or so and that I think the tourney is going to be wide open for everyone.

    WildcatKNH :: my NCAA Resource Center > www.knhayes.com/NCAA

    wildcatknh

  • Great post and very interesting to look at.

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    Chris Fisher

  • IDC what we are ranked. Get better every game, win enough to get into the dance, wion the dance. It is WIDE open this year, no reason we can't do it.

    trueUKgamer

  • Quick update ... UK has now re-entered the AP Top 25 at #25 this week.

    WildcatKNH :: my NCAA Resource Center > www.knhayes.com/NCAA

    wildcatknh

  • After consecutive losses to Oklahoma State, TCU (awful) and Oklahoma (not good) Kansas still at No. 14.

    Pollsters...

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    Chris Fisher

  • Chris Fisher said...

    After consecutive losses to Oklahoma State, TCU (awful) and Oklahoma (not good) Kansas still at No. 14.

    Pollsters...

    It's because they're experienced. Rolls eyes.

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    Nate87

  • Chris Fisher said...

    After consecutive losses to Oklahoma State, TCU (awful) and Oklahoma (not good) Kansas still at No. 14.

    Pollsters...

    Absolutely ridiculous. No reason they should be rated. Period.

    trueUKgamer

  • Nate87 said...

    Yet Auburn barely lost to an Illini team that beat IU. I don't buy your point.

    MY point lol. Auburn is horrid just horrid. they lost to uri, depaul, murry, winthrop, there only win against top 75 comp was at home to Bama. Thats it. All of there other wins were against teams ranked higher than 150. Auburn is horrid.

    So my point should be open for you to see. UK has beaten 1 team in the top 50 thats it close calls dont count. UK has gotten better but how much better. UK has not one player who can take over a game when needed as a scoring option. We shall see tuesday night playing against a team that just lost one of its best inside players.

    dvillepro1

  • Same thing with Louisville and most Big east teams they can lose 3 games and 4 out of 5 and still be ranked in the top 15 why do you think the be rpi is always so high they dont get punished for losing.

    Quagmire14

  • dvillepro1 said...

    MY point lol. Auburn is horrid just horrid. they lost to uri, depaul, murry, winthrop, there only win against top 75 comp was at home to Bama. Thats it. All of there other wins were against teams ranked higher than 150. Auburn is horrid.

    So my point should be open for you to see. UK has beaten 1 team in the top 50 thats it close calls dont count. UK has gotten better but how much better. UK has not one player who can take over a game when needed as a scoring option. We shall see tuesday night playing against a team that just lost one of its best inside players.

    I don't care who they've lost to. The point I was making is that it's not all based on who they haven't beaten. The lost by two in Chicago to Illinois who beat the number 1 team by two at home. While their record says they're horrible they are capable of playing better than that.

    We pounded them at Auburn an they happen to make more shots and play better at home. That has nothing to do with the fact that these Cats have improved and won games doing so. The competition is still much better than OCC save the fours teams.

    So I still don't see your point saying we've only played terrible teams in conference. Of the two conference losses they only lost one they shouldn't have in A&M and happened to lose on the road to a potential tourney team. Saying we only beat X team by X points is stupid. The Cats won the game and that's all that matters.

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    Nate87

  • Sounds like a hater hoping UK doesn't get into the NCAA tourney. I mean they are getting a lot better and considering the talent level on this team and the fact most of our boys are playing together how can we not be in the top 25. Fact is when Alex and Archie finally take that last step UK has as good a shot as any to not only win tomorrow but in March as well.

    wildcatfan440

  • wildcatfan440 said...

    Sounds like a hater hoping UK doesn't get into the NCAA tourney. I mean they are getting a lot better and considering the talent level on this team and the fact most of our boys are playing together how can we not be in the top 25. Fact is when Alex and Archie finally take that last step UK has as good a shot as any to not only win tomorrow but in March as well.

    First of all I have 6th row basketball season tickets at UK. I love UK more than anyone. I caught so much hell while living in south carolina each yr. Thank god for 96, 97 and 98.

    All I am doing is pointing out the facts UK are playing sub tourney teams and are not putting them away early and have drilled nobody but Auburn)

    And untill they can prove to me they are top 20 team they need to beat a team like Fla. Our strength of sch is horrid. and to loose 6 or more games does not show alot to me and other people who dont drink the blue cool aid. And for Archie he had his buttttt on the pine for a ton of time sat. He is in no way a team player and he has no I mean no jump shot. For UK to move to each rd of the tourney they are going to have to play as a team a total team or they will not make it far this yr.

    This post was edited by dvillepro1 on 2/11/2013 at 7:47 PM

    dvillepro1

  • I think your awful down on a young team who is showing improvement. Kansas has played and beaten good top 50 rpi teams but lost 3 in a row one of which was a "horrid" tcu team. They also have that coveted scorer you talked about. Duke played an insane schedule but got blown out by what has turned out to be a good Miami team and lost to a disappointing ncst team. They also barely beat a " horrid" bc team. UK has Ben in every game this year and hasn't Ben blown out by anyone. They are still young but are starting to come together at the right time. They won a very tough physical game that was a struggle due to poor officiating and a team who's game plan was obviously to just physically beat the cats into loading their composer. I thought they fought hard an I was proud of them. I say they will b fine. They may not make the final 4 but they will b a tough out for anybody a I going to sit back an enjoy the ride. Can't win it all every year but we can enjoy the journey and growth of each new team each year. I'm ok with a title every 2or 3 years.

    cbaker6075

  • cbaker6075 said...

    I think your awful down on a young team who is showing improvement. Kansas has played and beaten good top 50 rpi teams but lost 3 in a row one of which was a "horrid" tcu team. They also have that coveted scorer you talked about. Duke played an insane schedule but got blown out by what has turned out to be a good Miami team and lost to a disappointing ncst team. They also barely beat a " horrid" bc team. UK has Ben in every game this year and hasn't Ben blown out by anyone. They are still young but are starting to come together at the right time. They won a very tough physical game that was a struggle due to poor officiating and a team who's game plan was obviously to just physically beat the cats into loading their composer. I thought they fought hard an I was proud of them. I say they will b fine. They may not make the final 4 but they will b a tough out for anybody a I going to sit back an enjoy the ride. Can't win it all every year but we can enjoy the journey and growth of each new team each year. I'm ok with a title every 2or 3 years.

    Don't tell him that. He'll then all caps you about how he has sixth row season bball tickets and how he gives so much money to the church he can't afford a $99 yearly subscription to this site.

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    Nate87

  • Nate87 said...

    Don't tell him that. He'll then all caps you about how he has sixth row season bball tickets and how he gives so much money to the church he can't afford a $99 yearly subscription to this site.

    My tickets are a gift from my daughter thank you. Thank you for proving my point you are an azz.

    dvillepro1

  • dvillepro1 said...

    My tickets are a gift from my daughter thank you. Thank you for proving my point you are an azz.

    At least I'm a smart one!

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    Nate87

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